The Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security jointly issued the guidelines, which lay out quantitative criteria for conviction and sentencing and split fentanyl‑related substances into medicinal and non‑pharmaceutical categories.
The new rules target a range of illicit activities, including smuggling, trafficking, transportation, manufacturing, illegal possession and the use of the Internet to facilitate related crimes, aiming to tighten law‑enforcement response to the opioid trade.
The timing aligns with the upcoming Xi‑Trump summit in Washington, the second high‑level meeting between the leaders this year, where the United States has repeatedly pressed China to curb the flow of precursor chemicals used to synthesize fentanyl.
In a complementary move, Chinese authorities placed two additional chemicals on the export‑control list for drug precursors, mandating export permits for shipments destined for the United States, Mexico and Canada.
U.S. officials have long urged Beijing to do more to stem the supply of fentanyl precursors; the guidelines and expanded controls are presented by Chinese officials as a direct response, though analysts note that the practical impact on illicit supply chains remains uncertain.